Ink Pencil Paint

L St. Fine Art | 8/14/2008

Based on our friend, Kinsee Morlan's recommendation, I made my way down to the ballpark district of downtown San Diego this afternoon to check out a show called "Ink Pencil Paint". The space was silent and as I spent a few minutes staring down each piece, I couldn't help but notice an invisible connection between it all. Standing among the paintings and drawings, I felt like I was at a reunion for a large extended family that may or may not be related by blood. "A talented curator," I thought and just then he walked in.

Lee Lavy, a San Diego artist and musician, was the man who put the show together and he explained it to me. "Most of the artists are friends of mine. We meet together every Sunday to draw and talk about our art." Aha! An art family. How sezio.

Throughout the show, I noticed a few themes. I noticed a passion for drawing, which I admit is a weakness of mine. I noticed a great attention to detail - that meticulous quality of execution that screams of the artist's love of the process. Most of all, I noticed a deep appreciation for concept, a quality which is often lacking in San Diego art, and which is inevitably nurtured by the community these artists work in. There's no better place to cultivate ideas than in a conversation.

The exhibit runs through September 15th and features works by Fighting, Theo Ellsworth, Michael James Armstrong, Frida Kamau-Hathorn, Joey Gold, Thomas Demello, Shelby Gubba, and Lee Lavy. For the art collectors out there, I imagine these artists will prove to be a good investment, and none of the pieces on display are priced to break the bank.